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Best free ChatGPT alternatives (open source, 2026)

Updated · 20 repos compared · data refreshed nightly from GitHub

Short answer

The best free ChatGPT alternative for most people is open-webui (156k GitHub stars). open-spaces describes itself as a ChatGPT alternative; jan works on a Mac according to its README. All 20 options below are open source and run on your own computer or server, so there's no subscription.

ChatGPT (AI chat assistant) is a paid, closed-source product. The open-source projects below do the same job and run on your own computer or server. Stars and activity come straight from GitHub.

Top picks

  1. 1. Best for: Best overallopen-webui156k stars · license not detected · updated today
    Editor's pick

    User-friendly AI Interface (Supports Ollama, OpenAI API, ...)

    Needs:
    Hardware not stated in its README
    Trade-off
    Better than ChatGPT: the biggest community (156k stars), very active development. Worse: license not detected by GitHub; check it before commercial use.
  2. 2. Best for: Closest ChatGPT replacementopen-spaces921 stars · MIT · updated 8d ago

    Free, open-source alternative to ChatGPT Spaces: a self-hostable AI workspace for shared pages and conversations.

    Needs:
    Hardware not stated in its README
    Trade-off
    Better than ChatGPT: a permissive MIT license, very active development. Worse: a small community, so fewer guides and fixes.
  3. 3. Best for: Also excellentanything-llm67k stars · MIT · updated today
    Editor's pick

    Stop renting your intelligence. Own it with AnythingLLM. Everything you need for a powerful local-first agent experience

    Needs:
    Hardware not stated in its README
    Trade-off
    Better than ChatGPT: a permissive MIT license, very active development. Worse: you install and run it yourself instead of ChatGPT's hosted app.
  4. 4. Best for: Mac usersjan45k stars · license not detected · updated today
    Editor's pick

    Jan is an open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs 100% offline on your computer.

    Needs:
    works on Mac (per README)
    Trade-off
    Better than ChatGPT: very active development. Worse: license not detected by GitHub; check it before commercial use.

Comparison

ToolStarsOpen licenseSelf-hostRuns on MacGPU memoryLast update
CChatGPTPaid · cloud only–browsernone–
LibreChatEditor's pickEnhanced ChatGPT Clone: Features Agents, MCP, Skills, DeepSeek, Anthropic, AWS, OpenAI, Responses API, Azure, Groq, o1, GPT-5, Mistral, OpenRouter, Vertex AI, Gemini, Artifacts, AI model switching, me46k?today
janEditor's pickJan is an open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs 100% offline on your computer.45k?today
open-webuiEditor's pickUser-friendly AI Interface (Supports Ollama, OpenAI API, ...)156k?today
anything-llmEditor's pickStop renting your intelligence. Own it with AnythingLLM. Everything you need for a powerful local-first agent experience67k?today
open-chatgpt-atlasChatGPT alternativeOpen Source and Free Alternative to ChatGPT Atlas.442?3mo ago
open-spacesChatGPT alternativeFree, open-source alternative to ChatGPT Spaces: a self-hostable AI workspace for shared pages and conversations.921?8d ago
selfhost-aiChatGPT alternativeOne-command installer for a self-hosted AI stack on your own server: n8n, Ollama, Open WebUI, OpenClaw, Dify, Flowise, Supabase, ComfyUI, Qdrant & 30+ tools. Docker Compose, automatic HTTPS via Caddy,951?2d ago
copilot-unleashedChatGPT alternativeA mobile first, self-hosted multi-model AI chat powered by the GitHub Copilot SDK. A modern alternative to ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.107?2d ago
NativeMindExtensionChatGPT alternativeNativeMind: Your fully private, open-source, on-device AI assistant1.1k?7mo ago
BrowserOSChatGPT alternative🌐 The open-source Agentic browser; alternative to ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet, Dia.14k?today
codex-asrChatGPT alternativeUnofficial Rust CLI/library and local Whisper-compatible REST shim for Codex Desktop ASR using local ChatGPT auth58?3mo ago
openbrowserChatGPT alternativeOpenBrowser is an open-source, AI-native browser built on Chromium — a truly privacy-first alternative to ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet, and Dia.72?26d ago
Deep-Learning-Applications-with-GUIChatGPT alternativeList of FOSS Deep Learning Applications with GUI and/or CLI96?12mo ago
SourceWeftChatGPT alternativeOpen-source, self-hostable alternative to ChatGPT and NotebookLM — agents, skills, MCP, and cited knowledge in one AI workstation. Your models, your infrastructure. Free to use GPT 6: https://SourceWe294?today
chat2claudeChatGPT alternativeLocal ChatGPT/Codex session adapter for Claude Code, OpenAI-compatible APIs and GPT Image, with a browser admin console.105?2d ago
browser-operator-coreChatGPT alternativeBrowser Operator - The AI browser with built in Multi-Agent platform! Open source alternative to ChatGPT Atlas, Perplexity Comet, Dia and Microsoft CoPilot Edge Browser516?7mo ago
Local-AIChatGPT alternativeA curated guide to running Large Language Models (LLMs) on your own machine. Covers tools like Ollama, LM Studio, LocalAI, GPT4All, and more!6712 GB2mo ago
gpt4freeThe official gpt4free repository | various collection of powerful language models | opus 4.6 gpt 5.3 kimi 2.5 deepseek v3.2 gemini 367k?today
jev-chat-jarvisThe chat decision assistant: before you reply, Jev reads the chat, judges intent and risk, and drafts replies you fill in with one tap. You press send. Android · Windows · macOS · iOS | 聊天辅助决策工具：先看懂对方8.0k?6d ago
chat-uiThe open source codebase powering HuggingChat11k?today

✓ yes · ✗ no · – not stated in the README. Hardware details are read from each README and may be incomplete.

ChatGPT vs open source: what you give up

  • Setup. ChatGPT is ready as soon as you sign up. These projects need installing, usually with Python, Node or Docker.
  • Hardware. 1 of 20 lists a GPU requirement, starting at 12 GB of GPU memory. 7 mention Mac support.
  • Polish and support. Paid products usually have a smoother interface, managed updates and customer support. Open source gives you privacy, no usage limits and no monthly bill.
  • Maintenance. 14 of 20 were updated in the last 30 days.
  • License. 14 of 20 use a standard open-source license (MIT, Apache, GPL and similar). Check the license before commercial use.

How we picked

Projects that describe themselves as a ChatGPT alternative come first, then projects that do the same job, ranked by how well they match and by GitHub stars. Projects that need a paid API key, and projects from ChatGPT's own company, are left out. Stars and activity are verified with the GitHub API every night; hardware details come from each README. Full method.

FAQ

Is there a free alternative to ChatGPT?

Yes. We list 20 free, open-source GitHub projects that do the same job as ChatGPT. The most popular are open-webui, anything-llm and gpt4free.

What is the best open-source ChatGPT alternative?

It depends on your setup. Best overall: open-webui. Closest ChatGPT replacement: open-spaces. Also excellent: anything-llm. Compare GitHub stars, license and hardware needs in the table on this page.

Can I run a ChatGPT alternative on a Mac?

Yes. According to their READMEs, jan, BrowserOS and Deep-Learning-Applications-with-GUI run on macOS.

Do I need a GPU to replace ChatGPT?

1 of the 20 lists a GPU requirement, starting at 12 GB of GPU memory.

Are these ChatGPT alternatives really free?

Yes. All 20 are open source on GitHub, and projects that need a paid API key are left out. 14 use a standard open-source license such as MIT, Apache or GPL; check the license before commercial use.

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